Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems Report:
The FAO released the “Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems” report highlighting that empowering youth in agriculture can boost global GDP by 1.4% and tackle rising unemployment and food insecurity.
Status of Youth in Agrifood Systems Report:
- Youth Employment Decline in Agriculture: Share of working youth in agrifood systems fell from 54% (2005) to 44%, despite high dependence in low-income countries.
- Rising NEET Youth: Over 20% of global youth (aged 15–24) are not in employment, education, or training; women are twice as likely to be affected.
- Massive GDP Potential: Eliminating youth NEET status, especially among 20–24-year-olds, could raise global GDP by 1.4% (~$1.5 trillion) — nearly 45% of it via agrifood systems.
- Urban-Rural Divide: 54% of youth now live in urban areas; rural youth form only 5% in industrial agrifood systems — signalling future labour shortages in agriculture.
- Vulnerability to Climate Change: Around 395 million rural youth live in areas likely to face declining agricultural productivity due to extreme weather and climate stress.
- Food Insecurity Rising Among Youth: Global food insecurity among youth has increased from 16.7% to 24.4% (2014–2023), especially in Africa and crisis-affected regions.
